Bristol Rovers 1
Duffy (pen, 89)
Cardiff City
Comminges (21)
Rovers drew 1-1 with their Cardiff City counterparts in a keenly contested reserve team fixture at the Memorial Stadium this afternoon.
Cardiff controlled the game for long periods, but only had a 21st minute goal from Miguel Comminges to show for their efforts, though they were denied further goals by one superb save from Rhys Evans and also saw one effort hit the woodwork.
Rovers worked hard and stuck to their task, but seldom troubled goalkeeper Peter Enckelman and didn't equalise until he last minute when Darryl Duffy scored from the penalty spot.
Steve Elliott skippered a side that included Andy Williams, Duffy and Rhys Evans, while youngsters Dan Cayford and Mark Cooper were the full back pairing as they were against Swansea's second string last month.
The visitors fielded an experienced side and fashioned an early chance through Solomon Taiwo, whose fifth minute drive was only just wide of the upright.
Duffy hit an ambitious long range effort well wide of the target, but at the other end goalkeeper Evans did well to dive full length and touch a shot from Ross McCormack round the post.
Ben Hunt, whose proposed loan move to Kingstonian broke down last week, limped off after just twelve minutes, to be replaced by Joe White.
Cardiff looked impressive going forward and McCormack dragged a shot wide of the target before they took the lead.
Miguel Comminges played a neat one two with Taiwo just inside the centre circle and continued his run before taking a return pass from the midfielder and beating Evans with an angled drive.
McCormack blasted another shot wide of the target and Ricky Scimeca headed wide as the visitors went in search of a second goal.
Rovers almost got back on level terms with nine minutes of the half remaining when Charlie Reece curled a free kick over the defensive wall and just wide of the upright.
Seconds later McCormack almost added a second goal for the Welsh side with an almost identical free kick at the other end, which hit the stanchion supporting the net.
White hit a shot high and wide of the target in the first minute of the second half, but the visitors were soon on the attack again and the ever dangerous McCormack was denied a goal by Evans who made an excellent save from the strikers close range effort.
White should have equalised for Rovers on 54 minutes, but flicked the ball wide of the mark after the Cardiff defence had failed to clear a Rovers free kick into the box.
Shortly afterwards an inswinging corner from McCormack hit the inside of the post and rebounded to safety.
Rovers stuck to their task, though, and Charlie Clough and Andy Williams both hit shots straight at goalkeeper Peter Enckelman.
Rovers were awarded a penalty on 89 minutes when Williams was brought down in the area after running on to a through ball from Clough.
Duffy converted the spot kick, blasting his effort low into the bottom corner to give Darren Patterson's side an equaliser.
Rovers: Rhys Evans, Dan Cayford, Alex Kite, Steve Elliott, Mark Cooper, Andy Williams, Charlie Clough, Charlie Reece (George Booth), Ben Swallow, Darryl Duffy, Ben Hunt (Joe White)
Substitutes: Rob Holmes, Eliot Richards, Ollie Clarke, Jack McKenna, Steve Kingdon
Cardiff City: Peter Enckelman, Kevin McNaughton (Zac Evans), Tony Capaldi, Ricky Scimeca (Stephen Last), Aaron Norris, Miguel Comminges, Billy Taylor (Luke Cummings), Solomon Taiwo (Nick Chan), Kai Bichard, Ross McCormack (Lee Smith), Jonathan Meades (Ibrahim Farah)
Substitutes: Jordan Santiago, Kai Edwards
